Roger Goodell did not have the Dallas Cowboys' best interests in mind when he concocted the 2026 NFL schedule. Although the opponents are on a rotation, the order of the games is where the powers that be in this league can have a little fun (or screw some teams over).
The Cowboys have an absolutely brutal stretch from Week 10 to Week 16, as they'll play the following games in succession: vs. San Francisco 49ers, vs. Tennessee Titans, vs. Philadelphia Eagles (short week), @ Seattle Seahawks, Bye, @ LA Rams, vs. Jacksonville Jaguars. Oof.
Outside of the Titans, the Jaguars feel like the biggest reprieve during that hellish stretch for Dallas. Yes, they went 13-4 last year and won the AFC South, but they crumbled in the playoffs, and they aren't exactly a perennial power like all of the others are. Maybe the Cowboys could steal a win here.
But after speaking with Carlos Sanchez of Black and Teal, FanSided's dedicated Jaguars site, that may be much easier said than done. In fact, this trecherous stretch seems even more dangerous now after speaking to Sanchez, who is an authority on all things Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Jaguars game is no safe haven for Dallas Cowboys in Week 16
Q: The Jaguars emerged as a surprise contender last year. Is the vibe in Jacksonville that they can rekindle this flame and be back in the conversation in 2026?
A: The Jaguars aren't thinking too much about last year, at least not about the success part. Instead, they're pissed off that they came up short and spent the offseason looking for ways to get over the hump next season.
Liam Coen is the kind of coach who always finds a way to motivate his players and will hold onto whatever quote or thing he can to come up with bulletin board material. He'll probably rally behind the fact that the Texans are getting more love even though Jacksonville finished 13-4 and won the AFC South.
On a related note, Coen will always go to bat for his players in public, but he's very demanding behind the scenes. That, of course, doesn't show up on the scoreboard, but will be evident once the Jags take the field in Week 1.
Q: Travis Hunter drew a lot of hype as a two-way star during his rookie campaign, but things didn't really materialize on that front. What is the current plan with him, and how does he look heading into Year 2?
A: The Jaguars still see Travis Hunter as a two-way player, but one that's better served in small doses, meaning that playing corner and receiver full-time is unrealistic because of the demands of the NFL. That said, expect him to line up at corner more next season. He'll still play offense, but won't have nearly as big a role because Jacksonville is stacked at receiver. That will allow him to focus on honing his skills on defense, which will, in turn, lead to a better performance.
Hunter probably won't change the landscape of sports as general manager James Gladstone suggested, but he can definitely turn into a game-changer at corner. That will kind of soften the blow of having to give up a second and a first to trade up for him.
Q: Jacksonville took a lot of criticism for how it approached this year's draft. Have any rookies stood out and silenced that noise thus far?
A: On paper, it looks dreadful, especially if you mostly listen to the national media narrative. For instance, the Nate Boerkircher selection seems awful because he had minimal production in 2025, and Jacksonville picked him way before the consensus board suggested. But it wasn't nearly as bad as it seemed.
Sure, Boerkircher only logged 19 receptions for 194 yards with three touchdowns last year, but he posted a separation rate of 86.4 percent, meaning that he was a better pass-catcher than his stats suggest. When you factor in that he was the best blocking tight end of his class, the Jags got the final piece of the puzzle in him.
See, the Jaguars want to run heavier sets. Last year, they often had six offensive linemen on the field, but because that sixth hog molly couldn't catch, they telegraphed their intention to run the ball. With Boerkircher in the mix, Jacksonville can now run more 12 and 13-personnel sets and create mismatches, as Brenton Strange can either stay at the line of scrimmage to block or run a route.
This is a long-winded way to say that the Jaguars didn't pull random names from a hat on draft day. Instead, they look for ways to bolster areas of need to fulfill their vision.
Q: As is the case with a lot of good teams, the Jaguars lost some significant talent in free agency, specifically Devin Lloyd and Travis Etienne. What is the confidence level that Jacksonville has done enough to replace those players ahead of the season?
A: A lot. Devin Lloyd was good but not great in his first three seasons. As a rookie, he was benched, and he was outplayed by Ventrell Miller in 2024. It wasn't until Anthony Campanile became the defensive coordinator that Lloyd took off. The expectation is that Miller will have a similar impact next season.
On the other hand, there's no doubt that Travis Etienne was a stud, registering 1,399 yards from scrimmage and a career-best 13 touchdowns. But Bhayshul Tuten was much better than his 3.7 yards per carry suggests. He got the ball in more short-yardage situations than Etienne. That's obviously dragged his YPC down.
Moreover, Tuten showed big-play capability in the loss to the Buffalo Bills, toting the rock four times for 51 yards. With Etienne out of the picture, he'll get to showcase his game-breaking speed.
This doesn't mean that Etienne or Lloyd aren't good players; they are, but the Jaguars have their respective replacements ready to step up.
Q: What was the biggest or most impactful move that the Jaguars made this offseason?
A: The Jaguars' only external addition in free agency was Chris Rodriguez, and he won't even count against the compensatory pick formula because he was tendered as a restricted free agent. That said, they made a key addition to the coaching staff that could turn the offense into a juggernaut.
Brian Picucci was Liam Coen's coach when he was a QB at UMass. Since then, Picucci has followed Coen in nearly all of his NFL stops. He wanted to poach him from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, but they blocked the move. He managed to bring him in this year, and he'll serve as the run game coordinator.
Coen has called the running game from last year "The Stink." With Picucci around to help, it could turn into a strength.
Q: Does Jacksonville have an obvious flaw that the Cowboys can capitalize on in this matchup?
A: More than a flaw, the Jaguars' biggest question mark is the pass rush beyond Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen. Walker only had 3.5 sacks last year, but that was because he had hand and knee injuries. The past two years, he has had a combined 20.5 sacks, so he should have no trouble reaching the 10-sack mark next season.
The issue is that the Jags don't truly have a No. 3 pass rusher. Sophomore Danny Striggow is expected to make a leap next season, but until he proves he can get after the quarterback, it will be a concern. Similarly, Jacksonville struggled to bring the heat from the interior last year. Ruke Orhorhoro is expected to provide a boost at defensive tackle, but it's hard to tell whether he'll get it done.
Outside of the defensive line, the Jaguars have built a pretty good defense and an offense that has no shortage of weapons.
Q: Do the Jaguars have an underrated strength that could catch Dallas by surprise?
A: Yeah, their wide receiver corps is among the best in the league, especially if Brian Thomas Jr. bounces back, and he's trending in that direction. But circling back to a previous point, their tight end group could catch the whole league off guard. Last year, they got steamrolled by the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks. You could even make the case that those weren't the only games they had no chance of winning. The common trend? Both clubs ran lots of 12 and 13-personnel sets. The Jags want to follow the same blueprint and create mismatches.
The Jaguars became a gritty team with Liam Coen at the helm. Their play will reflect that mindset next season.
The Dallas Cowboys will face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 of the 2026 NFL season on Sunday Night Football. Gametime is set for 7:20 p.m. CT at AT&T Stadium.
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